Dutch authorities investigating the financial network of the LTTE in the Netherlands are in the process of seeking permission from Sri Lankan authorities to interrogate former and current LTTE leaders in Sri Lanka, a Dutch media report said.

A Radio Netherlands report said Dutch authorities are currently negotiating with Sri Lankan Attorney General Mohan Peiris for permission to interrogate 13 witnesses in Sri Lanka including former and current LTTE leaders next month.

According to the report the Dutch magistrates and lawyers are also to travel to the United States to interrogate several US-based witnesses.

In the US, the Dutch investigators plans to interrogate an LTTE leader named Pratheepan Thavaraja, who has struck a plea bargain agreement with the US authorities admitting he has purchased weapons for the LTTE.

According to an FBI report Pratheepan Thavaraja was a senior procurement agent for the LTTE involved in the purchase of improvised explosive devices, missiles, machine guns, artillery, radar, and other equipment and technology from countries around the world, including the US.

Pratheepan's laptop computer has contained a list of "priority items' worth $ 20 million to purchase for the LTTE.

The List, according to the FBI, included, among other things, six "25mm Anti-Aircraft Gun[s]" at $160,000 each, six "30 mm Twin Barrel Mounted Naval Gun[s] Type 69 (with base)" at $30,000 each, thousands of automatic rifles, millions of rounds of ammunition, grenade launchers, 50 tons of C4 explosive, five tons of "Phlegmatized RDX" explosive, 50 tons of "TNT - based on Chinese specification," and 50 tons of Tritonal explosive.

The Dutch investigators said Pratheepan's computer revealed that Ramachandran from the Netherlands had cooperated with Pratheepan in the weapon purchases.

On Wednesday a Dutch investigative team, along with lawyers of the suspects in the Netherlands, will travel to Oslo to interrogate Nediyavan, the Oslo-based LTTE leader who was arrested by the Norwegian authorities. The Dutch investigators believe he has contributed millions to the LTTE.

The Dutch authorities have launched a complex and elaborate investigation called 'Operation Koninck' to uncover the prominent role LTTE leaders in the Netherlands played in financing the civil war in Sri Lanka.

According to the Radio Netherlands report, some 90 witnesses have been heard, dozens of house searches have been conducted, and numerous documents, photos, computers, CDs and DVDs have been obtained.